Reusable plastic closure with ring seal

ABSTRACT

A closure and ring seal combination which includes, generally, a closure having an annular inverted U-shaped channel about its top wall structure into which the upper edge of the open end container is received. This upper edge of the container has a bead or curl on it, and the outer annular wall of the U-shaped channel has interlocking means on its interior surface which interlock with the curl on the container to removably affix the closure to the container. The ring seal is of metal and is affixed to the container and closure by crimping the annular outer flange against the annular outer wall of the U-shaped channel in a fashion such as to forcibly urge the interlocking means into tight locking engagement beneath the curl. The ring seal is secured to the container and the closure by this crimping action, but its edge is not folded under the curl so that the ring seal can be removed far easier than in the past.

I [22] Filed:

United States Patent [191 Churan 1 REUSABLE PLASTIC CLOSURE WITH RING SEAL I [52] U.S. Cl. 220/46 R, 220/60 R [51] int. Cl 865d 53/00 [58] Field of Search 220/46 R, 60 R; 215/45 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,461,908 2/1949 Magnesen 220/46 R 2,984,381 5/1961 Bennett 220/60 R 3,223,278 12/1965 Allen 220/60 R 3,510,023 5/1970 Ullman et a1. .220/60 R 3,516,571 6/1970 Roper et a1. 220/60 R' 3,519,163 7/1970 Bardell 220/60 R 3,532,244 10/1970 Yates, .lr. 220/46 R X' Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-Stephen Marcus Attorney, Agent, or FirmDominik, Knechtel, Godula & Demeur June 11, 1974 [5 7] ABSTRACT A closure and ring seal combination which includes, generally, a closure having an annular inverted U- shaped channel about its top wall structure into which the upper edge of the open end container is received. This upper edge of the container has a bead 0r curl on it, and the outer annular wall of the U-shaped channel has interlocking means on its interior surface which interlock with the curl on the container to removably affix the closure to the container. The ring seal is of metal and is affixed to the container and closure by crimping the annular outer flange against the annular outer wall of the U-shaped channel in a fashion such as to forcibly urge the interlocking means into tight locking engagement beneath the curl. The ring seal is secured to the container and the closure by this crimping action, but its edge is not folded under the curl so that the ring seal can be removed far easier than in the past.

. 1.61a 6 w nefi t This invention relates, in general, to an improved container and, in particular, to an improved reusable plastic closure which is used in combination with a ring seal, for closing and sealing plastic containers.

Shipping containers, particularly of the gallon bucket variety, normally are fabricated of metal, but in recent years, plastic has been used as a substitute. While containers of plastic offer many advantages over metal, several problems are encountered with their use.

One of the major problems is to provide a closure for the containers which will remain in sealed-tight engagement with the container during shipping when it is subject to rough handling. Numerous different containers and closure constructions have been proposed, however, most, if not all of these constructions suffer from some fault. In particular, one such construction employs a bead or curl on the periphery of the upper edge of the container, and the closure has an annular, inverted U-shaped channel for receiving therein the upper edge of the container. Normally, some type of interlocking means are provided within the U-shaped channel to interlock with the curl on the container to affix the closure to the container. A metal ring seal then is placed over the U-shaped channel, and its outer peripheral flange is crimped around and under the curl to lockingly secure the closure to I the container. The metal ring seal not only lockingly secures the closure to the container, but it also provides rigidity to the top of the container and to the closure to prevent them from collapsing and thereby the closure from being accidentally dislodged.

This type of arrangement has proved to be extremely effective in providing a sealed-tight closure for the containers, and one which will stand up under roughhandling during shipment or storage. However, the fact that the outer peripheral flange of the ring seal is crimped tightly around and under the curl on the container makes it extremely difficult to remove. For this reason, this type of arrangement has not been fully acceptable.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reusable plastic closure and ring seal construction for use with plastic containers.

Another object is to provide an improved reusable plastic closure and ring seal construction for use with plastic containers, which construction and arrangement is such that the ring seal can be more easily removed than heretofore possible with similar type arrangements.

Still another object is to provide an improved reusable plastic closure and ring seal construction and arrangement which permits a gasket to be used in combination therewith.

A still further object is to provide an improved reusable plastic closure and ring sealed construction and arrangement which permits presently available ring seals to be used.

Still another object is to provide an improved reusable plastic closure and ring seal construction which permits the closure to be placed and removed with comparative ease, the ring seal only being necessary during shipping or storage.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The above objectives are accomplished with a closure and ring seal combination which includes, generally, a closure having an annular inverted U-shaped channel about its top wall structure into which the upper edge of the open end container is received. This upper edge of the container has a bead or curl on it, and the outer annular wall of the U-shaped channel has interlocking means on its interior surface which interlock with the curl on the container to removably affix the closure to the container. The ring seal is of metal and is affixed to the container and closure in generally the same fashion as it is presently affixed thereto, however, the annular outer flange of the ring seal is not crimped-around and under the curl on the container Instead, the arrangement is such that the annular outer flange is crimped against the annular outer wall of the U-shaped channel in a fashion such as to forcibly urge the interlocking means into tight locking engagement beneath the curl. The ring seal is secured to the container and the closure by this crimping action, but its edge is not folded under the curl so that the ring seal can be removed far easier than in the past. The arrangement, however, provides a sealed-tight closure which provides virtually all of the advantageous features of presently used similar arrangements of this type, with the additional advantage of being easily removed.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a top-plan view of a closure exemplary of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side-plan view of the closure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial bottom plan view of the closure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side plan view of a container having a closure of the construction of FIGS. 1-4 affixed thereto and secured thereon by means of a ring seal; and

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawing, in FIG. 5 there is illustrated an open end container 10 having a bottom wall 11 and a side wall 12. A pair of bail flange supports 15 and 16 are provided on the side wall 12 in diametrically opposed positions, for supporting a wire bail 14. A closure or lid 13 is affixed to the open end of the container by means of a ring seal 36 to provide a sealed-tight closure, in a manner described more fully below.

The open end container 10 can be of metal or plastic, and of a type having a bead or curl 19 (FIG. 6) provided about the peripheral edge of the side wall 12 at the open end of the container. In this respect, the container 10 is of a generally standard construction. Also, while the closure and ring seal construction of the present invention is applicable for use with both metal and plastic containers of this type, they are of particular tainer is snugly received therein, so that interlocking means in the form of an annular bead 28 on the interior surface of the annular outer wall 22 lockingly engages beneath the curl 19 to removably secure the closure 13 to the container.

An upstanding annular support rib 26 (FIGS. 1 and 6) provides additional rigidity to the closure 13, and this support rib 26, as can be best seen in FIG. 6 extends downwardly beneath the top wall 21 and terminates in a curved section which merges with the annular inner wall 23, thereby forming a U-shaped channel 27. Within this U-shaped channel 27 there are a number of ribs 31 which provide additional support and rigidity ,to the closure 13. A number of indentations 32 are provided in radially spaced relationship about the periphery of the annular outer wall 22. These indentations 32 effectively provide thin walled areas about the periphery of the annular outer wall 22, which areas pucker when the ring seal is crimped thereabout to provide a more secure seal, as described more fully below. A number of stress relieving grooves 33 also are provided centrally of the top wall 21 of the closure 13.

The ring seal 36 is of metal and includes an annular outer flange 37, an annular inner flange 38 and a top section 39 connecting them so as to form a U-shaped channel. The dimensions of this U-shaped channel preferably is such that the ring seal fits easily but snugly over the U-shaped channel into which the curl 19 on the container 10 is received. In this respect, the ring seal 36 can be of standard construction and of the type which can be split, using a screw driver or other similar instrument, to remove the same from the container. The lower peripheral edge of the annular outer flange of the ring seal also is normally curled back against itself, generally as indicated in FIG. 6, to provide a smooth bead 41 thereon.

In affixing the closure 13 to the container 10, the edge at the open end of the container 10 is disposed within the U-shaped channel formed by the annular outer wall 22, the annular wall 23 and the top section 24 of the closure 13. As indicated above, this U-shaped channel preferably is proportioned so that the curl 19 is snugly received therein, the resiliency of the plastic annular outer wall 22 permits the latter to spring outwardly so that the bead 28 thereon effectively snaps under the curl 19. An annular or circular shaped gasket 40 of rubber preferably and advantageously is disposed within the U-shaped channel, and the latter is proportioned so that the gasket 40 is slightly compressed when the bead 28 snappingly interlocks with the curl 19. The gasket 40 is preferably used and, in such cases, the dimensions of the U-shaped channel are correspondingly proportioned to effect the compressing of the gasket to effect a tight seal when the bead 28 snaps under the curl 19.

With the closure 13 affixed to the container 10 in the above-described fashion, the container 10 is effectively sealed and will stand a considerable amount of abuse,

without the closure 13 being accidentally dislodged. Furthermore, the closure 13 can be removed relatively easily, and can be replaced to reseal the container. The ring seal 36 is only necessary during shipping to effect a sealed-tight closure, when the container 10 is subject to rough handling.

To effect this sealed-tight closure, the annular outer flange 37 of the ring seal 36 is crimped about its periphery, tightly against the annular outer wall 22 of the closure 13. This crimping action is such that the annular outer flange 37 forcibly urges the bead 28 on the annular outer wall 22 in a firm and secure interlocked engagement beneath the curl 19 of the container 10. By proportioning the annular outer wall 22 and the ring seal 36 such that the lower edge of the annular outer flange 37 is merely crimped tightly against the annular outer wall 22 rather than being crimped around and beneath the curl 19, as in the past, the ring seal 36 can be removed far more easily.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and certain changes may be made in the above article. Accordingly, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters Patent is:

1. In combination with an open end container having at its open end a bead-like curl extending about the periphery of the upper edge of its side wall; a closure adapted for removable replacement over the open end of said container comprising a center top wall structure, a perimetrical inverted U-shaped channel provided at the periphery of said top wall structure, said U-shaped channel being formed by an inner and a concentric outer annular wall and a top section interconnecting the inner and outer walls, and interlocking means formed on the interior of said outer annular wall and lockingly engaged beneath said bead-like curl to removably secure said closure over the open end of said container; and a perimetrical U-shaped ring seal formed by an inner and a concentric outer annular flange and a top section interconnecting the inner and outer flanges, said U-shaped ring seal being proportioned to receive therein said perimetrical inverted U shaped channel provided at the periphery of said top wall structure and said outer annular flange thereof being crimped against said outer annular wall to secure said ring seal in place and to forcibly urge said interlocking means into a secure locking engagement beneath said bead-like curl, thereby preventing said closure from being removed without first removing said ring seal, said outer annular flange being crimped against said outer annular wall rather than the edge thereof being crimped over so as to extend beneath said bead-like curl permitting said ring seal to be more easily removed, said outer annular wall of said cover further being continuous and having a plurality of thin walled areas in spaced relationship about the periphery thereof, said thin walled areas being puckered when said outer annular flange is crimped against said outer annular wall thereby causing said interlocking means to be more securely lockingly engaged beneath said beadlike curl. 

1. In combination with an open end container having at its open end a bead-like curl extending about the periphery of the upper edge of its side wall; a closure adapted for removable replacement over the open end of said container comprising a center top wall structure, a perimetrical inverted U-shaped channel provided at the periphery of said top wall structure, said U-shaped channel being formed by an inner and a concentric outer annular wall and a top section interconnecting the inner and outer walls, and interlocking means formed on the interior of said outer annular wall and lockingly engaged beneath said beadlike curl to removably secure said closure over the open end of said container; and a perimetrical U-shaped ring seal formed by an inner and a concentric outer annular flange and a top section interconnecting the inner and outer flanges, said U-shaped ring seal being proportioned to receive therein said perimetrical inverted U-shaped channel provided at the periphery of said top wall structure and said outer annular flange thereof being crimped against said outer annular wall to secure said ring seal in place and to forcibly urge said interlocking means into a secure locking engagement beneath said bead-like curl, thereby preventing said closure from being removed without first removing said ring seal, said outer annular flange being crimped against said outer annular wall rather than the edge thereof being crimped over so as to extend beneath said bead-like curl permitting said ring seal to be more easily removed, said outer annular wall of said cover further being continuous and having a plurality of thin walled areas in spaced relationship about the periphery thereof, said thin walled areas being puckered when said outer annular flange is crimped against said outer annular wall thereby causing said interlocking means to be more securely lockingly engaged beneath said bead-like curl. 